Ladder attachment



A. P. O'CONNOR.

LADDER ATTACHMENT.

APPLICATION FILED MAH. 1920.

Patented May 3, 1921.

3 SHEETSSHEET l- ATTORNEY A. P. O'CONNOR.

LADDER ATTACHMENT.

- APPLICATION FILED MAY 7, 1920. Patented May 3 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

BY wage/5W Patented May 3, 1921.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

9 I N W NW N OAD CTE 1T O F -Dn P T A A Mm L a .P. O'Connor UNITED STATES ARTHUR P. OCONNOR, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

LADDER ATTACHMENT.

Application filed May 7, 1920.

I '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that ARTHUR P. OCoNNoR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Denver, in the county of Denver and State of Colorado, has invented new and useful Improvements in a Ladder Attachment, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to step ladder attachments designed to be readily and easily associated with or removed from the ladder and when in use permits the ladder to be properly supported upon spaced steps of a stairway, or an inclined surface with little danger of the ladder slipping; the attachment being adjustable to meet all requirements for which it is provided.

More specifically the invention embodies a stationery member equipped with means for association with a side of the ladder, and an adjustable member slidable upon the stationary member and provided with a foot piece to prevent slipping of the ladder on an inclined surface, the respective members being designed and associated in a manner whereby they are held fixed relatively 1n position for use.

The nature and advantages of the invention will be readily understood when the following detail description is read in connection with the accompanying drawings, the invention residing in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as claimed.

In the drawings forming part of this application like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views and wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of a ladder showing the invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4c is a similar view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the stationary member.

Fig. 6 is a similar view of the adjustable member.

Fig. 7 is a detail view of the foot piece.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing another application of the invention for supporting a ladder upon astairway.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing the invention supporting a ladder upon an 1nclined roof.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 3, 1921.

Serial No. 379,631.

Referring to the drawings in detail, A indicates generally a ladder of the usual construction, the invention being associated with the ladder in the manner illustrated in Fig. 1. It might here be stated that the devices forming the subject matter of my invention are made in right and left association with the opposite sides of the ladder.

The attachment forming the subject mat-- ter of my invention includes what I term a stationary member indicated at 10, an adjustable member indicated at 11, and a foot piece indicated at 12. The members 10 and 11 respectively are elongated and of rectangular formation in cross section, these members being of a width substantially equal to the width of the side of the ladder with which they are associated. The member 10 is equipped with spaced sleeve like members 1 1 and 15 respectively projecting from the same side of the member to receive the adjacent stile. The lower end of the stile of the ladder is slid into the sleeve 15 just when the attachment is being associated with the ladder, but the upper sleeve M is open at one side as at 16 to readily and easily receive the said stile of the ladder. The sleeve 15 is also formed with a flange 15' upon which thestile of the ladder rests as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The sleeve 14 is provided with a latch element 17 which is hinged to one side of the sleeve as at 18 and has its free end adapted to lie against the opposite side as shown in Fig. 1. A set screw or the like indicated at 19 is utilized for holding the latch element in active position.

The adjustable member 11 is arranged to slide vertically upon the stationary members 10, and carries at its lower end a foot piece 12. The foot piece 12 is detachably associated with the adjustable member 11 and held in position by means of set screws or other suitable fastening elements 20. The confronting faces or sides of the members 10 and 11 respectively are formed with teeth 21 interfitting in engagementso as to prevent slipping or movement of the members 10 and 11 relatively when the attachment is in use. Projecting from the opposed longitudinal edges of the member 10, are clips 22 which embrace the adjacent edges of the adjustable member 11. The member 11 is provided with a longitudinally disposed slot 23 through which threaded bolts project, the bolts being indicated at 24 and carried by the member 10. Nuts 25 are associated with the bolts 24 to assist in holding the parts operatively associated and fixed rela tively subsequent to the adjustment of the member 11 upon the member 10. The lower sleeve 15 carried by the member 10 terminates to provide guide flanges 26 which overlie the opposed longitudinal edges of the adjustable member 11, and also receive the foot piece 12, when the member 11 is moved to a position to space the foot piece 12 from the ground or surface upon which the ladder is supported. This of course is the position of parts when use of the attachment is not desired. Manifestly I have devised a device of the class in question, which can be quickly associated with the ladder or removed therefrom when use prohibits slip ping of the ladder upon steps or inclined surfaces. The attachment is simple in construction and can be manufactured and sold at a nominal cost.

In Fig. 8, I have shown the attachment secured to corresponding sides of the ladder indicated at B supporting the ladder upon a stairway. This attachment includes stationary members 30 and the adjustable member 31 constructed and cooperated in the same manner as described hereinabove, the adjustable member 81 having associated therewith an adjustable foot 32, the latter having a toothed edge 33. It will be noted in Fig. 8 that each foot 32 is arranged upon the adjustable member 31 so that the toothed edge 33 is out of engagement with the step upon which the adjustable member reposes, so that the toothed edge of the foot cannot injure the stairway.

In Fig. 9 I have shown the application of the invention to a ladder for supporting the same upon an inclined roof per se. Both sides of'the ladder as shown are equipped with one of the attachments, and whenused in this manner the feet 35 are arranged to present their toothed edges 36 to the inclined surface of the roof. This obviously prevents slipping of the ladder.

\Vhile it is believed that from the foregoing description the nature and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent, I desire to have it understood that what is herein shown and described is merely illustrative of the preferred embodiment, to which I do not limit myself and that such changes may be resorted to when desired as fall within the scope of what is claimed.

Having thus described my invention What I claim as new is 1. A step ladder attachment comprising a stationary member, and an adjustable member slidable upon the stationary member, a sleeve carried by the stationary member for the reception of one side of the ladder, guide flanges formed by said sleeve and overlying the opposed edges of the adjustable member, a foot piececarried by the adj ustable member, and means for holding said members fixed relatively in position.

2. A step ladder attachment comprising a stationary member, and an adjustable membeislidable upon the stationary member, attaching sleeves carried by the stationary member for the reception of one side of the ladder, one of said sleeves having an open side, a hinged clamping element carried by the sleeve to extend across said open side, and means for holding the said clamping element fixed to said sleeve in its active position and means for holding the said members fixed relatively in active position.

3. A step ladder attachment comprising a stationary member, an adjustable member slidable upon the stationary member, attaching sleeves carried by the stationary members for the reception of one side of the ladder, a footwpiece carried by the ail-ff, justable member, said adjustable member 1 ARTHUR P. OCONNOR. 

